1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to security mechanisms for computer systems and software, and in particular, to a system and method for preventing unauthorized installation and use of proprietary software on unauthorized systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to employing a BIOS signature verification technique to reliably authenticate a computer system as an authorized platform for an operating system or other computer program during a software installation or system startup process. The present invention further relates to a system and method for using an identifier code stored in non-erasable memory within a hardware inventory device to authenticate a data processing system planar.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer software is unique as a commercial product in that a legitimately purchased copy can be almost effortlessly replicated and passed to innumerable non-licensed purchasers. This ease of replication-and-transfer characteristic of computer software is beneficial in terms of lowering manufacturing costs and facilitating widespread distribution. For example, a software manufacturer may distribute one physical copy of a software product and sell a multi-seat license that legally empowers the purchaser to efficiently install the software product on many different computers. Unfortunately, the ease of replication and transferability comes at a cost of widespread commercial abuses associated with the aforementioned illegitimate transfers such as software piracy.
Given the urgency felt by companies involved in the design, production and sale of computer software to reduce the prevalence of such practices, several techniques have been developed to help curtail unauthorized installation of software products. One such technique, implemented by the object software product itself or an associated installation application, utilizes a recognition function to prevent installation of the software on any but an authorized (i.e., recognized) hardware platform. For example, on systems in which software such as the operating system, is pre-loaded as part of the system manufacturing process, a so-called BIOS lock may be included as a security feature in end user provided recovery disks. The BIOS lock is utilized to restrict installation of the operating system software included in recovery/reinstall type applications in accordance with the BIOS content of the intended recipient system. A conventional BIOS lock mechanism entails searching the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) of the intended platform for a specified identifier, typically an alphanumeric string. While the installer program search/recognition code is often encrypted as a security precaution, the object BIOS string is easily “read out” and therefore accessible for copy or modification by would-be hackers, particularly with the continued development of increasingly sophisticated system data access tools such as Desktop Management Interface (DMI).
Another problem relating to system fidelity verification is encountered in a common form of computer system manufacturing process in which a “system manufacturer” assembles hardware components of computer systems (e.g., motherboards, processors, memory devices, etc.), and pre-loads software applications, such as operating systems, as part of system packaging. While a BIOS locking mechanism may assist in preventing end-users from illicitly loading software onto unauthorized systems, an unscrupulous system manufacturer having legitimate possession of soft copies of the system BIOS and also the pre-load software is not prevented from producing an additional number of systems than those authorized by the vendors by simply installing the legitimate BIOS code and pre-loading the corresponding operating system software on additional system boards.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved technology solutions to piracy and illicit use, while recognizing and accommodating the efficiencies in modularized computer production models and practices of legitimate purchasers. The present invention addresses these and other needs unaddressed by the prior art.